Search - Riccardo Chailly, Ernst Senff Chamber Choir :: Alexander Zemlinsky: Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid) / Psalm XIII, Op. 24 - Riccardy Chailly

Late romantic masterpiece, sweepingly played

Bruce Hodges | New York, NY | 11/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to believe that Zemlinsky isn't better known, but that may be changing. Certainly his florid language should be accessible to anyone who admires Mahler or Richard Strauss, although Zemlinsky's idiom is his own. "The Mermaid" is a lush, altogether heady tone poem that could almost be a Hollywood score; somehow I thought of Franz Waxman when I heard this for the first time. The work is filled with aquatic references, from gently rocking sea-like rhythms, to huge climaxes that make you imagine water crashing against the rocks. Chailly, with his dramatic bent, is perfect for this kind of music, highlighting the flowing lines without stretching them out of shape, and absolutely nailing the big climaxes. The RSO Berlin sounds terrific, playing dreamy phrase after dreamy phrase, and ultimately demonstrating why this piece should be far better known. The Psalm 23 is also compelling, with the Ernst Senff Chamber Choir in radiant form. Zemlinsky's setting of the text is sensitive, yet majestic, and again, should bowl over any listener with a penchant for Mahler. As an aside, I can't believe no one else on Amazon has commented on this recording, especially since it's been out since 1990! For those who like late romantic showpieces, this terrific example should do the trick."